A Man In Russia Tried To “Have Some Fun” With A Lion And It Went Exactly As Badly As You’re Imagining

A bizarre video out of Dagestan, Russia, is going viral after a young man learned the hard way that lions are not, in fact, oversized house cats.

According to reports, the man was casually walking to the store with his brother in the city of Makhachkala when they came across a full grown lion. Instead of doing the normal human thing like slowly backing away or sprinting in the opposite direction, the pair reportedly decided to “have some fun” with it.

The lion was not amused.

Moments later, the animal bit the man, instantly turning what he probably thought would be a funny story into a painful lesson in basic survival instincts.

Even more wild? The man later admitted this was not his first time encountering lions in the area. He claimed people in Makhachkala often keep lions at home and that he usually only sees “small ones,” which somehow made this interaction seem like a reasonable idea to him.

Just to be clear, keeping lions as pets in Russia is illegal. Owners can face fines, seizure of the animal, and in some cases, criminal charges. The law exists for the obvious reason that lions are apex predators and not suitable roommates.